Origin
Mark : 1: English Dutch and Sorbian: from Latin Marcus the personal name of Saint Mark the Evangelist author of the second Gospel in the New Testament. This name was also borne by a number of early Christian saints. Marcus is an ancient Roman name of uncertain (possibly non-Italic) etymology; it may have some connection with the name of the war god Mars; compare Martin. The personal name was not as popular in England in the Middle Ages as it was elsewhere in Europe especially in Italy where the evangelist became the patron of Venice and the Venetian Republic. He was allegedly buried at Aquileia. In North America the English form of the surname has absorbed many cognates and similar-sounding names from other languages e.g. Polish Czech and Slovak Marek Ukrainian Slovenian Sorbian Rusyn and Croatian Marko Greek Markos and also their patronymics and other derivatives e.g. Jewish and Slavic Markowicz and Markovich; see also 6 below.2: English and German; Dutch (Van der Mark): topographic name for someone who lived on a boundary between two districts from Middle English merke Middle High German marc Middle Dutch marke merke all meaning ‘borderland’. The German term also denotes an area of fenced-off land (see Marker 5) and like the English word is embodied in various placenames which have given rise to habitational names. This surname (in any of the possible senses; see also 5 below) is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine; compare Marck).3: English (of Norman origin): habitational name from Marck Pas-de-Calais France.4: Irish (northeastern Ulster): probably a short form of Markey (when not of English origin).5: German Danish and Dutch: from Marko a short form of any of the ancient Germanic compound personal names formed with mark ‘borderland’ as the first element for example Markwardt.6: Americanized form of French and Breton Marc.7: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 麥 see Mai 2.8: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 莫 see Mo 1.
Balaji : Indian (Andhra Pradesh): from Hindi Sanskrit bala ‘young boy’ + the -ji suffix a mark of respect. This name is particularly associated with Vishnu as the reigning deity at Sri Tirupati temple in Andhra Pradesh. The god is said to have appeared as a young boy and playmate to a devotee named Ramanuja who named the idol at the temple as Balaji.
Bergmark : Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements berg ‘mountain hill’ + mark ‘ground field land’.
Bieser : North German: occupational or topographic name from Low German Biese ‘reed’ (in northern Germany reed was used for thatched roofs) or a habitational name for someone from Biesen in the Lippe district or Mark Brandenburg.
Brotemarkle : Altered form of German Brotmerkel a distinguishing nickname for a baker from Brot ‘bread’ + a pet form of the personal name Mark a short form of names such as Markwardt.
Buster : German: nickname from a derivative of Buste ‘pock mark boil’ (from Latin apostema ‘boil’).
Cerf : 1: French: from Old French cerf ‘stag’ (from Latin cervus) applied as a nickname with reference to the presumed lustfulness of the creature or conversely to the horns as the mark of a cuckold (see Horn).2: Jewish (Ashkenazic from France): from the personal name French calque of the Yiddish personal name Hirsh (see Hirsch).
Disher : 1: Americanized form of German Discher ‘joiner’.2: English and Scottish: occupational name for a maker or seller of dishes (Middle English disher(e)) from an agent derivative of Middle English dish diss disc ‘dish’. In London dishers (also known as turnours) were makers of wooden measures for wine and ale. Each disher had his own mark which was stamped on the bottom of each measure he made. Samples of marks were required to be submitted to the Chamberlain.
Eitel : German:: 1: from a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name formed with agi ‘point edge (of a sword)’.2: nickname from Middle High German ītel ‘pure genuine’ also ‘bare only’. In the days before surnames had begun to make their mark bearers of common personal names would often have a second personal name as a distinguishing feature; someone who did not have a second such name could be distinguished by this fact in itself as for example ītel Hans (‘just Hans’) as against Hans Joachim. The meaning ‘vain conceited’ is comparatively late and has probably not contributed to the surname.
Evangelista : Italian: from Evangelista ‘evangelist’ (a derivative of Greek euangelos ‘bringer of good news’ from eu ‘well’ ‘good’ + angelos ‘messenger’). This is the term used to denote any of the four gospel writers of the New Testament (Matthew Mark Luke and John) in particular Saint John the Evangelist.
Fragola : Italian: apparently from fragola ‘strawberry’ probably applied as a topographic name for someone who lived by a patch of wild strawberries a metonymic occupational name for a grower or seller of soft fruits or a nickname for someone with a conspicuous strawberry mark.
Freimark : German: topographic name from a field name denoting land that was free of tax and other obligation composed of the elements frei ‘free’ + mark ‘unit of land border land’.
Godsmark : from Middle English Godes mark ‘God's mark’ which is recorded in 13th-century texts as a term for the symbolic tonsure or shaven head of a priest or monk.
Hatzis : Greek: variant of Chatzis from the vocabulary word chatzis ‘pilgrim (to Jerusalem)’ from Arabic ḥajjī ‘hadji’ (i.e. ‘pilgrim to Mecca’). Having completed a pilgrimage to the Holy Land was a mark of high social distinction. Often this surname is an American shortened form of a surname with Hatzi- as a prefix to a patronymic naming the ancestor who performed the pilgrimage; e.g. Hatzimarkou ‘son of Mark the Pilgrim’ Hatzioannou ‘son of John the Pilgrim’.
Heimark : Norwegian: habitational name from a farm in Hordaland named with Old Norse heithr ‘moor heath’ + mark ‘land forest’.
Hollebon : 1: of uncertain origin but probably from one of the following places: Hollingbourne (Kent) with reduction of Holling- to Holle- Hollo- and -bourne to -bon; or Holybourne (Hants) with reduction of -bourne to -bon; or a lost Holbeam (Howbeam or Holbean) in Ticehurst (Sussex) which by folk etymology may have been altered in the surname to Hollebon(e) Hollobone etc. Evidence for this is suggested in John Howbeame 1598 Elisabeth Hollebon 1617 in IGI (Pevensey Sussex) but these could be two different surnames coinciding in the same parish. For early evidence of surnames known to derive from from each of these places see (2) -3 and (4). The following bearers no doubt belong with one of these three but it has not been possible to prove which. 2: from Hollingbourne (Kent) which is recorded as Holingeburna about 975. The place-name derives from an Old English personal name *Hōla or Old English hol ‘hole hollow’ + the Old English group-name suffix -ingas (genitive -inga-) + burna ‘spring stream’. 3: from Holybourne (Hants) close to the Surrey border which is recorded as Haliburne in 1086 and derives from Old English *hālig ‘holy’ + burna ‘spring stream’. However some late instances with -bourn such as William Hollybourn 1778 in IGI (Willingdon Sussex) may be variants of the name in (1) from (2) or (4). Compare John Hollebon 1799 in IGI (Willingdon Sussex). The 1697 example could alternatively belong with Holborn. 4: from a locality in Ticehurst (Sussex) called Holbeme (Old English hol oblique case holan ‘hollow’ + Old English bēam ‘tree’) recorded in holanbeames mearce 1018 in Place-Names of Sussex. The tree was probably used in parish perambulations as a boundary mark (Old English mearc ‘boundary’). The place-name survives in Holbeanwood in Ticehurst (Holbeam Wode 1479) and the surname is recalled in Holban's Farm in Heathfield (Sussex).
Lafitte : French: topographic name for someone who lived near a boundary mark Old French fitte (from Late Latin fixta petra ‘fixed stone’ from the past participle of figere ‘to fix or fasten’); or a habitational name from any of several places in the south of France named Lafitte (or Laffitte; compare Laffitte).
Landmark : Norwegian: habitational name from a farm so named a compound of land ‘land territory’ and mark ‘boundary marker’ referring to the land inside the boundary. This surname is also found in Sweden.
Ledgeway : apparently an altered form of Leadsway of uncertain origin. Neil Mackay (personal communication) notes from the Knaresborough Parish Registers (N Yorks Record Office) that John Ledgway born on 9th October 1785 was the son of Mark and Ann Ledgway who are identical with Mark Leadsway (born about 1760) and Ann Thompson whom he married in Knaresborough (WR Yorks) on February 7th 1785.
Lindmark : Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements lind ‘lime tree’ + mark ‘ground land country’.
Lundmark : Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements lund ‘grove’ + mark ‘land’.
Mahl : 1: North German (Mähl): topographic name for someone who lived at a mill Low German Mähl or a metonymic occupational name for a miller or mill worker.2: German: nickname from Middle High German Middle Low German māl ‘mark stain’.3: German: topographic name from Middle High German Middle Low German māl ‘boundary mark or stone’.4: Germanized form of Sorbian Mały ‘small little’ (see Maly) and of its shortened form Mał which can also be from a short form of the Old Sorbian personal name Małomir based on Old Slavic malъ ‘small little’.5: Jewish (Ashkenazic): from German Mahl ‘meal’ one of surnames distributed at random by Austrian clerks.
Majano : Spanish: topographic name from majano ‘pile of stones’ ‘cairn’ (used as a boundary mark) or a habitational name from Majano in Toledo province.
Mar : 1: Spanish Portuguese Galician Asturian-Leonese and Catalan: topographic name for someone living by the sea from mar ‘sea’ (from Latin mare).2: German: nickname from Middle High German mar(w) ‘tender delicate’ or an altered form of Mahr a topographic name from mar ‘lake swamp stagnant water’.3: Hungarian (Már): from a short form of the personal name Márkus or Márk Hungarian forms of Marcus and Mark; or possibly from the personal name Márton Hungarian form of Martin.4: Scottish: variant of Marr.5: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 馬 see Ma 1.6: Burmese: from a personal name usually forming part of a compound name from mar ‘healthy firm’. — Note: Since Burmese do not have hereditary surnames this name was registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US.
Marcantonio : Italian: from a composite personal name formed with Marco + Antonio modelled on that of the famous 1st-century BC Roman general and politician Mark Antony (Marcus Antonius in Latin).
Marcon : 1: French: from the Old French oblique case of the ancient Germanic personal name Marco a short form of compound names formed with mark ‘borderland’ as the first element.2: Italian: from an augmentative of the personal name Marco.3: English (Norfolk): variant of Markin.
Marcoux : French:: 1: from the ancient Germanic personal name Markwulf composed of the elements mark ‘border’ and wulf ‘wolf’.2: habitational name from (Le) Marcou or (Le) Marcoux names of several places in various parts of France. Compare Marcoe and Marco.
Marken : 1: Norwegian: habitational name from any of several farmsteads so named from Old Norse mǫrk ‘forest pasture’ or mark ‘field land’.2: Swedish (mainly Markén): ornamental name from mark ‘land’ + the adjectival suffix -én/-en a derivative of Latin -enius ‘relating to’.
Markert : German: from a shortened form of an ancient Germanic personal name composed of the elements mark ‘borderland’ + hard ‘hardy brave’ or ward(e) ‘guardian’.
Markl : 1: German (also Märkl): from a pet form of an ancient Germanic personal name based on the element mark ‘boundary’ such as Markward (see Markwardt) and Markolf. Compare Markel 1.2: Slovenian: variant of Markelj (see Markel 3) with the hypocoristic suffix -elj written in a German(ized) form.
Markman : 1: Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): occupational name for a market trader from Yiddish mark ‘marketplace’ + man ‘man’.2: Americanized form of German Markmann: status name for someone who lived on an area of land that was marked off from village land or woodland from Middle High German mark ‘marked land’ or ‘border land’ (see Marker) + man ‘man’.
Marko : 1: Slovak Polish and Czech: from a variant of the personal name Marek an equivalent of English Mark.2: Ukrainian Slovenian Sorbian Rusyn Croatian and Jewish (Ashkenazic): from the personal name Marko (from Latin Marcus) Slavic equivalent of English Mark. In some cases it is also an American shortened form of any of patronymics and other derivatives of this personal name such as Jewish Markowitz Serbian and Croatian Marković (see Markovic) or Slovenian Markovčič.3: Hungarian (Markó): from a pet form of the personal name Márkus an equivalent of English Mark.4: German: of Hungarian Sorbian and other Slavic origin (see above).5: Albanian (southern): from the personal name Marko a Greek-influenced variant of Mark (see Mark compare Marku); or in part an adaptation of the cognate Greek surname Markos.6: American shortened form of Greek Markos or of any of various derivatives of this personal name e.g. Markopoulos. Compare Marco.
Markos : 1: Greek: from the personal name Markos (see Mark) or a shortened form of any of various derivatives of this name e.g. the patronymics Markakis and Markopoulos or of composite names such as Markantonakis ‘son of Mark Anthony’. Compare Marcos.2: Hungarian: variant of Márkus (see Markus).3: Hungarian: possibly a nickname from markos ‘strong’ (from marok ‘palm of the hand’ markol ‘to grip’).4: Serbian Croatian and Slovak (Markoš): from a pet form of the personal name Marko (see Mark). In part it is of Hungarian origin (see 2 above).5: Arabic: from Marqus Arabic form of the name of the apostle Mark. Bearers of this surname are Christians. Compare Markus 4 and Morkos.6: Ethiopian: from the personal name Markos Ethiopian form of Mark. — Note: Since Ethiopians do not have hereditary surnames this name was registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US.
Markstrom : Swedish (Markström): ornamental name composed of the elements mark ‘(border)land’ + ström ‘river’.
Marku : Albanian: from the personal name Mark (definite form Marku) from Latin Marcus (see Mark). This is one of the most common surnames in Albania.
Markwardt : 1: North German: occupational name for a frontier guard or the guardian of a fenced-off area (such as a woodland) Middle Low German markward from mark ‘boundary’ + ward(e) ‘guardian’. In medieval folk stories Markwart occurs as a nickname for a jay; it is possible that this use may have influenced the acquisition of the surname in some cases.2: German: from the personal name Markward(t) composed of the elements mark ‘boundary’ + ward ‘guardian’. Compare Marquardt.
Maro : 1: Italian: from a short form of the medieval personal name Ademaro Adimaro derived from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements adal ‘noble’ + mari meri ‘famous’.2: Hungarian (Maró): from a pet form of the personal names Márk (see Mark) or Márton (see Martin).
Merck : German and French (mainly Alsace and Lorraine): from a short form of an ancient Germanic compound personal name with initial element mark ‘boundary border area’ for example Markwardt.
Moslin : probably a late variant of Maslen. Compare Mark Moslin 1785 William Maslin 1797 in IGI (Ramsbury Wilts); John Maslen 1797 William Maslin 1847 Thomas Moslin 1865 in IGI (Thatcham Berks); John Maslin 1803 Hannah Maslen 1805 John Moslin 1810 in IGI (Newbury Berks); James Maslin 1837 James Moslin 1849 in IGI (Highworth Wilts).
Newmark : 2: Americanized form of Scandinavian Nymark: habitational name from farms named with ny ‘new’ + mark ‘field’.1: Americanized form of German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) Neumark.3: English (of Norman origin): variant of Newmarch a habitational name from Neufmarché in Seine-Maritime France.
Nordmark : 1: Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements nord ‘north’ + mark ‘land’.2: Norwegian: habitational name from a farmstead named with the elements nord ‘north’ + mark ‘outlying pasture wood’.
Och : 1: German: southern and Silesian variant of Ach.2: Flemish (Van Och): habitational name for someone from Ogbrugga in Mark (East Flanders) or Ogmolen or Ogpoort in Sint-Renelde (Brabant).3: Amerindian (Mexico): Mayan name from ooch ‘opossum’.4: Amerindian (Guatemala): Mayan name from ooch' ‘green ear of maize’.
Partis : variant of Porteous with lowering and unrounding of o to a. Forms with -er- may be misreadings of -or- inverted spellings of -ar- or belong with (ii).perhaps also a variant of Peart with post-medieval excrescent -es or -is. Compare Mark Perte 1605 in IGI (Easington Durham) with Thomas Partis 1597 in Parish Registers (Easington Durham). Peart is also found in Newcastle upon Tyne where Partis and Pertes are evidenced below. The names in (i) and (ii) may have been confused.
Peil : 1: Dutch: metonymic occupational name from Middle Dutch pegel peil a mark used in measuring liquids or a measure of the strength of beer.2: Dutch: variant of Peel.3: Americanized form of Dutch Pijl; metonymic occupational name for a maker of arrows or an archer from pijl ‘arrow’.4: German: variant of Pfeil and in North America (also) an altered form of this.5: German: from a short form (Bilo) of an ancient Germanic personal name related to Old Saxon bīl ‘sword’.
Print : from Middle English prent(e) print(e) ‘imprint mark image’ (Old French priente) perhaps for one who made or sold objects thus described or for one with a visible distinguishing mark.
Rowland : 1: English: from the Middle English and Old French personal name Rollant Rolant Rolent Roulent (ancient Germanic Hrodland Rodland from hrōd ‘glory’ + land ‘land’) introduced into England by the Normans. It was made famous by French romances about Roland the most famous of the peers of Charlemagne who was killed at Roncesvalles in AD 778. Although widely used across post-Conquest England (along with Oliver the name of Roland's companion) it seems to have been restricted to particular gentry families and was never popular. Compare Roland.2: English: habitational name from Rowland (Derbyshire) or Rowland Wood in Slinfold (Sussex). The Derbyshire placename derives from Old Norse rá ‘roe roe buck’ or rá ‘land mark boundary’ + lúndr ‘small wood grove’. The Sussex placename probably derives from Middle English roughe ‘rough’ + lond ‘land’ (Old English rūh land).3: English: in northern England and perhaps elsewhere perhaps a post-medieval variant of Rawling. Compare Rawlinson Rollinson.4: English: perhaps also a variant of Rolling 2 with -land substituted for -ling.5: Altered form of German Roland.
Score : 1: English (Dorset): habitational name from Score in Ilfracombe (Devon) or Scur Farm in Braunton (Devon) derived either from Old English scora ‘steep place’ or from Old English scoru ‘score mark perhaps also boundary mark’.2: Americanized form of Norwegian Skår (see Skaar) and Skåre (see Skare).
Scorer : from Middle English scourer *scorer ‘one who cleanses or polishes items of metal wood earthenware etc. by rubbing hard with a detergent substance’.from Middle English scorer ‘one who cuts or makes lines on (something)’. The term may have had a number of specialized senses relating to different occupations. The only one on record is ‘one who marks trees to be cut down’ (MED before 1395). However the most common senses of the related Middle English verb scoren are ‘to mark (an item on a tally)’ hence ‘to compute to record or keep an account (of something)’ so scorer may sometimes have denoted ‘an accountant or record-keeper’. Compare Scotcher.
Scurr : perhaps from a lost place described by or named with Old Scandinavian skor ‘score notch or mark’ (perhaps denoting a boundary mark). Compare Score.alternatively perhaps from an unrecorded Middle English personal name *Skur(r) from Old Scandinavian Skorri which is well evidenced as a personal name and nickname in medieval Scandinavia and possibly derived from the Old Scandinavian word in (i). It may also be evidenced in the ER Yorks place-name Scoreby.
Stracey : from an unrecorded adjective derived from Middle English strace (Old French estrace) ‘a mark left by a skin disease scar’. Compare John Strace 1415 in Patent Rolls (Winchester Hants).
Strike : English (Cornwall):: 1: nickname from Middle English strike streke (Old English strica) ‘line or streak’ perhaps with reference to a mark on the face a differently colored streak of hair or thinness of body.2: from Old English Stric(a) either a personal name derived from the nickname above or perhaps a borrowing of the Old Norse personal name Stríkr though this is would be a less likely source for the Cornwall surname.
Swapp : Scottish: perhaps a nickname either from Scots or Middle English swap ‘stroke or blow or the mark left by one’.
Tache : 1: French (also Taché): from Old French tache ‘hook buckle loop; distinctive mark’ (or from the adjectival form taché) possibly applied as a nickname for someone with a deformity or distinctive mark.2: French: possibly also a habitational name from any of various places called (La) Tâche for example in Charente-Maritime and Vienne named with tâche in the sense ‘statutary labor’ (an old form of taxation).3: Romanian: from a short form of the personal name Costache which is derived from Costa a short form of Constantin + the diminutive suffix -ache of Greek origin.
Turpin : French and English: from the Old French and Middle English personal name Turpin representing the falling together of the Old Norse name Thórfinnr (composed of the elements Thórr the name of the god of thunder in Scandinavian mythology + the ethnic name Finnr ‘Finn’; compare Turvin) and of the Latin name Turpinus (from Latin turpis ‘ugly base’) one of the self-abasing names adopted as a mark of humility by the early Christians (it was borne by the archbishop of Rheims in the Charlemagne legend) and of the Old French and Middle English form.
Vandemark : Dutch (Van de Mark): variant of Vandermark.
Vandermark : Dutch (Van der Mark):: 1: topographic name for someone who lived by a border or boundary from Middle Dutch marke merke ‘boundary borderland’.2: topographic name for someone living near the river Mark.
Varcoe : Cornish (Cornwall): from the personal name Mark + Cornish patronymic or pet form suffix -ow and with Cornish lenition (though no grammatical or phonological motivation is apparent) of the initial M- to V-.
Widmark : Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements Wid- (see Widman) + mark ‘land’.
Zeichner : German:: 1: probably a habitational name for someone from Zeichen near Pirna.2: alternatively an agent derivative of Middle High German zeichenen ‘to mark to draw attention to to announce; to do wonders’ a nickname for someone who interpreted signs of all kinds or an occupational name for a maker of seals and coats-of-arms (zeichen ‘seal coat-of-arms’).
More
Source : DAFN2 : Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, ©2022 by Patrick Hanks and Oxford University Press
FANBI : The Oxford Dictionary if Family Names in Britain and Ireland, ©2016, University of the West of England
FANBI : The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain, ©2021, University of the West of England
Subject to the Terms and Conditions of Ancestry
